Stalling
by Ms. Prim .N. Prissy
Summary: Oneshot. CU. In which Blood knows more than she lets on, and our much-loved Outsider is just being a 'tsundere'. Originally posted on Tumblr. Blood/Alice.


**Disclaimer: **_H/C/J/D No Kuni No Alice _is the rightful property of Quinrose.

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**~ Stalling ~**

She has to dig her nails into her skirt so she doesn't leap up and gouge them into his face.

"Alright," Alice hisses out, hanging unto courtesy by a thread, "You've had your fun, Blood. _Let me go._"

He doesn't budge. In fact, she's pretty sure he's managed to settle himself more comfortably in his seat, hips shifting slightly on the velvet cushion. Long fingers fan pointedly where they lay on the armrest. "I am not holding you, my lady."

Blood's voice is amused, though she finds nothing funny about her current predicament. Maybe at first, when his little stunt had been too ludicrous to be taken seriously, but that good humor had jumped out the window a long time ago when Alice realized just how stubborn he could be when he wants to. Along with most of her patience… And it won't be long until she jumps out that window _herself_, too, if this drags on.

"I wouldn't risk it."

Teal eyes refocuses from their contemplation of the window to Blood's face, which is propped on his fist as he studies her, eyes lazy and amused. She huffs. "Well maybe _I_ would. It's certainly a nice change from what we're currently doing—staring at each other for long periods of time loses its allure after a while, you know."

"So, you admit I'm alluring?"

Well. She tripped herself into that one.

"'Repelling' is a better term I'd use for you."

His mouth tips up on a smirk. "How convenient. I'm repelling; you just so happen to be quite alluring, and you know how they say that opposites attract?"

_Oooh, he thinks he's clever!_ "It's been _five time periods_, Blood," she growls, "Let me out!"

"You know there's only one way to get through me, young lady." A brow quirks suggestively. "I am ready to accept the exit fee whenever you are ready to pay it."

She doesn't like the implications in his statement. Not one bit.

"W-what about Elliot?" she asks. "And the twins? They're probably worried about you."

Blood flicks a hand dismissively. "I told them I have a prolonged engagement with a guest. They won't be expecting me for a while."

_'Guest'? More like 'hostage'._ Alice has half a mind to throw herself at the window and cry out like a damsel in distress. If anyone, surely Peter would hear her; he has bunny senses for things like that.

Then again… wouldn't she just be trading a pervert for a troll? Which was the lesser of the two evils?_Agh!_

"What about paperwork? Mafia-men have lots of paperwork, right?"

"Already done."

"Meetings?"

"Adjourned."

"Social functions?"

"Concluded."

"Killing sprees?" she asks tightly.

The curl of his lips is all too smug. And all too indulgent. And the purr in his voice when he speaks makes her belatedly realize that he's enjoying this, "Duly noted."

This is not going well. She knows, in the back of her mind, from the moment he'd stepped into this room and barred the door with his chair, that this will not end how she wants it to end. But she tries, anyway, if for no other reason than a token effort on her part to prove that she can.

Her fingers shake. She folds her arms over her chest. "What about the bathroom? All that tea you drank earlier has to go somewhere, and I know that position's uncomfortable after a while—"

"Young lady."

She swallows.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Blood finally rises and crosses the tiny expanse that separates him from the foreigner. He takes a lock of hair and lets it coil over his knuckles, and color rises in Alice's cheeks when he bends down to murmur, "Don't be shy."

"W-what?" she stutters, but she doesn't pull away.

He 'tsks' at her. "Do you think I don't notice how you stall? We could have been done with this ages ago, had you just bite the bullet and kiss me. _Also,_" He bumps his nose against the shell of her ear, breathes in the scent of shampoo and roses, "… I know for a fact that second door behind you is unlocked."

She's silent; he's smug.

"Hmmm." His lips trail a path from her hair to her forehead. "My, my. So you _do_ miss the dear Hatter. Honestly, Alice, if you wanted me stay longer, you could've just asked. I would have gladly filled our time together with more… productive activities."

Her soft snort widens his grin. "I-I just wanted to be near you," Alice softly confesses, hiding her burning face in his collar. "You were gone for so long."

"I'm here now." He forces her to look at him, "Always," and seals the deal with a kiss.

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**N/A: **Count this Oneshot as my rite of passage into the fanfic community, and also a mark of my first step into becoming a... better me than I am today. May these tentative beginnings lead to promising developments.


End file.
